British influencer Callie Coles has an impressive following online where fans follow her idyllic life in the English countryside which includes her husband and three children, horses (lots of them!), and many other animals. She brings all that and more to her first novel, Tangled Webs, introducing Sage Beaumont Deverill, in the first of a “Spinning Silks” trilogy.
Sage’s relatives and her best friend, Dolly, tried to discourage her from marrying Santiago. One, in fact, encouraged her to back out on her wedding day. When he was still racing cars, Santiago was fun to be with and Sage enjoyed being part of that world. After she discovered she was pregnant, the die was cast. She had grown up without parents. Her mother died in a car accident and her grief-stricken father fled their home. Her maternal grandparents stepped up to raise Sage and her twin brother, Casper. Sage, however, wants her baby to be raised by a mother and father.
After Santiago left racing, he became depressed and began drinking heavily. He took out his anger on Sage, on several occasions pulling her hair and throwing her against a wall. His mother, Lucilla, added to Sage’s misery, psychologically abusing her daughter-in-law and ignoring her three year-old grandson, Hal. Sage’s breaking point came after Santiago hit her in the face, leaving her with bruises and a black eye. Determined to protect Hal, Sage grabs their passports, packs their bags, and leaves.
Arriving at Heathrow, she’s thrilled to see that her twin, Casper, is there to meet her. She’s even more excited to be back at her grandparents’ place in Newmarket, where the family business is raising racing horses. Sage used to ride and her grandfather, Bumpa, is eager to get her back in the saddle. Soon she’s regularly exercising one of the stable’s mares, Skylark, who will be running in a race soon.
Hal is quickly embraced by Betsy, Sage’s grandmother, and Maggie, who has been working for the family since Sage and Casper were ten. When Betsy suggests they should buy Hal a pony, the little boy is thrilled. Custard lives up to his name with a yellow coat and a sweet disposition.
While Sage isn’t looking to jump into another relationship, she can’t ignore the attraction she feels for Rafe, a talented horse trainer who is also heir to his family’s estate. Although Rafe is sought after by the local female population, he’s managed to avoid any entanglements – until he meets Sage. When Rafe invites her to join a hunt, she eagerly accepts. Their mutual love of horses and racing is only one thing they have in common. And when Sage meets his parents, they, too, fall in love with her and with Hal.
But extricating herself from her marriage proves to be more difficult than Sage ever imagined. She begins receiving angry and threatening text messages from Santiago. He never paid any attention to Hal, but he nows wants joint custody. To emphasize his determination to save his marriage, he shows up at Newmarket to pressure Sage to return with him to Panama. Rafe steps in and finds a place for her and Hal to stay. But Sage worries that she’s placing her grandparents in danger. She fears that no matter where she is, Santiago will find her. Will she ever be able to escape the mistakes of the past and forge a future with Rafe and Hal?
That seems more than possible. But remember, Tangled Webs is the first in this trilogy. And by the last page, we understand that Sage’s battles may just be beginning.
Callie Coles certainly knows her way around horses. (You can check out her Instagram page to see some of the horses that she has welcomed into her family, even into her house!) I found the details of the hunts interesting, but perhaps a little too long. That’s a minor criticism, however. Tangled Webs is an engaging read and a great beginning to Sage’s story. I look forward to book number two.
Tangled Webs
Callie Coles
Top Bigstock photo by MadeleineW
Our editors love to read and independently recommend these books. As an Amazon Affiliate, Woman Around Town may receive a small commission from the sale of any book. Thank you for supporting Woman Around Town.
